


Tragedy of War

by vampireprincessn1



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-10-06 01:16:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10322195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampireprincessn1/pseuds/vampireprincessn1
Summary: As Harry finds himself being plagued by nightmares of the war he forces himself to sleep less and less. After months of this Harry’s body has finally started to show signs of neglect leaving him with sleep deprivation and a high fever. When he faints Madam Pomfrey assigns him a caretaker: Draco Malfoy! How does the wizened nurse expect the two to ever get along?MA-Rated, Romance/Hurt/Comfort, YAOI (Boy x Boy).





	

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**Rating: MA**

**Categories: Romance/Hurt/Comfort**

**Warning(s): YAOI (Boy x Boy) Don’t like, don’t read!**

Chapter 1

_Sleepless_

**_*Dream Start*_ **

**_Harry walked down the path to the lake. It was a warm August day that had the occasional cool breeze. The sun was out shining brightly and causing the lake to glitter like diamonds. Classes had been canceled so he had decided to enjoy the rare warmth by taking a nap by the lake._** **_Ron and Hermione had decided to stay inside to catch the red-head up on his homework. Luna had gone to chase down some Nargles and had dragged Ginny to join her. Neville had gone to the greenhouses for some private lessons from Professor Sprout. This ended up leaving Harry alone for the afternoon._**

**_He was sitting in the shade of a tree on the warm grass near the edge of the lake when an unnaturally cold breeze blew through, making him shiver. When the breeze blew by again but harsher the raven stiffened and began to tremble. He should have known…nothing good ever lasts._ **

**_Looking around the raven felt eyes on him._** **_Though he saw no one he knew better than to think someone or something wasn’t there. Standing up Harry tried to mentally prepare himself for what was about to come. Then the scene changed…the beautiful scene of the Black Lake began to melt like running paint, vexingly slow._**

**_Heart pounding, Harry tried desperately to shake his fear with no luck. Once more, Harry fearfully found himself in the graveyard he had been brought to via portkey last year. The graveyard where Cedric died and he’d been bound to a tombstone. Where Voldemort was resurrected. The Little Hangleton graveyard…_ **

**_Harry closed his eyes in fear and resignation, he had been here enough times to know what he would see if he looked at what was written on the tombstones. Names, but not just any names. The names of anyone he had ever loved, knew, or even met by chance. Librarians, teachers, babies, grandparents. Hundreds of names…thousands...far too many to count._ **

**_Then the scratching sounds started and Harry felt his panic rise, he needed to_ ** **wake up** **_! Covering his ears and closing his eyes, Harry tried to block out the sound uselessly. The sound of earth shifting as the dead rose from their graves to torment the one who failed them. When cold, bony hands wrapped around his arms and started pulling Harry fought with everything he had. He clawed at dead skin, yanked and pulled hoping to get someone’s grip to loosen, dug his feet into the ground…nothing worked._ **

**_Opening his eyes Harry stared through his tear blurred vision at the tombstone in front of him as he teetered on the edge of the freshly dug grave. Vainly, like every time before, he tried to read the name on the tombstone. Again, he was only able to tell it wasn’t his before he was pushed in and the coffin closed…_ **

**_*Dream end*_ **

“Noooo!” Harry yelled as he bolted upright in bed. He looked around frantically in a state of panic. Images of war and bodies flooded his mind, an after effect of his nightmare. Slowly, Harry forced himself to calm down from his panic attack and his mind began to work properly. He wondered for a brief moment why nobody had woken up when he yelled before he remembered placing silencing charms up before forcing himself to rest. Harry hated when people fussed over him like he didn’t know how to take care of himself. He had been doing so for most of his life.

Taking a shaky breath Harry forced all the images that had flooded his mind in his panic back in to their small alcove in the back of his mind. Once again the raven found himself thanking the small wonder that was occlumency. When the images wouldn’t go away even during the day Harry had to find a way to cope and had stumbled across the mental form of magic. After months of study Harry had learned at least the basics of occlumency so the images of war and dead friends no longer haunted him throughout the day. Unfortunately Harry hadn’t been able to keep the images in their cage when he was asleep and as a result suffered from nightly terrors. The raven took a moment to get as calm as he could before slipping out of bed and heading down to the common room. No one would be up unless they were getting in to trouble so he didn’t have to worry about questions from the concerned.

As he entered the Common Room the fireplace came to life. Kneeling in front of his favorite armchair Harry pulled up the cushion and pulled out a paperback copy of ‘The Alchemyst’. Harry often found it funny to read a series about Nicholas Flamel when he had once saved the man’s source of immortality himself. Setting his bookmark on the nearby table Harry settled into his chair. Hanging his legs over one arm and resting his back into a corner Harry started to read expecting a long night…and to need a new book soon.

* * *

About 4 A.M.

* * *

 

Harry jerked himself awake again as his lids had once again started to droop. His limbs were cramped from not moving in so long and the now awkward position. Getting up Harry stretched to loosen his muscles. The raven decided to head back to bed so that no one would know that he hadn’t really slept and maybe get a few hours of sleep. Climbing the stairs Harry collapsed onto his bed.

Just as he was relaxing into his bed waiting for the others to wake up Harry found himself being shook awake by Ron. “Come on Harry, you need to get up.” Ron walked away and started to get dressed.

Harry groaned and got up, grumbling under his breath as he got ready for the day. Somehow the raven was able to get through getting showered and dressed. As he came downstairs Harry found himself feeling slightly cold and sluggish and wondered if he was getting sick. Vaguely Harry was aware of Ron and Hermione leading him down to the Great Hall for breakfast and Hermione making him eat a bit before going to class.

* * *

Potions Class

* * *

 

Harry jolted awake as Ron pinched his arm. Looking at the ginger he raised an eyebrow in question. Ron jerked his head in the direction of Snape who Harry saw was looking at him from the corner of his eye while continuing giving the lesson.

Realizing that Ron had probably just saved him from a week or more of detention he turned to boy and mouthed a ‘thank you’. Ron gave a short nod before going back to pretending to listen to Snape.

Harry faced the front of the classroom, propping his chin on his palm trying his hardest to focus on the lesson Snape was giving on reasons you should always carry a vial of a Love Potion Antidote. Soon enough Harry’s mind had wandered away from the very entertaining lesson and on to trying to keep himself awake. This included pinching and poking himself with his quill. The entire time he also found himself unbearably warm in the normally cold dungeons. Harry had been at this for a month and it looked like the lack of sleep was finally taking effect. He continued to struggle to keep himself awake but before he knew it potions was over.

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way to their next class Harry kept having to pinch himself. Realizing how close he was to collapsing from exhaustion Harry decided to get some rest. Making up some excuse about forgetting a book the raven started making his way to the Gryffindor dormitories.

Harry was almost back to the dorms when his vision began to swim and darken. Stumbling forward Harry tried to right himself. Taking a few more steps he bumped into something. Harry looked up but was only able to see a pair of silver eyes before darkness took him.

* * *

Draco x Harry/Blaise x Ron

* * *

 

Draco cursed to himself as he ran down the hallway. As he ran he was thinking of how to get revenge on Blaise for not waking him up making him late to class. Rounding a corner Draco stopped when he saw Potter near the Gryffindor dormitories. The teen looked like he was having trouble just staying on his feet. Interested Draco walked in to Potter’s line of sight and saw that the teen’s eyes were glazed over and began to worry when Potter didn’t start snapping at him.

Taking the chance while Potter was out of it Draco tried to see if he could figure out what was wrong with the Gryffindor. Draco noticed how pale the raven’s usually tan skin suggesting illness or exhaustion of some type. The dark circles around his eyes suggested a lack of sleep though he couldn’t tell how long. Lastly Potter’s flushed face and glazed eyes suggested a high fever. In short due to a lack of sleep Potter had become ill and suffered from exhaustion.

As wondered how long Potter had been depriving himself of sleep he was surprised when he felt something bump in to his chest. Looking down the blond saw that the half conscious brunet had stumbled into him right before the teen’s eyes closed and he passed out. When Potter began to collapse Draco didn’t even think about it when he scooped the brunet up bridal style.

Forcing back a shiver as the raven’s warm breath ghosted over his neck, Draco repositioned both of their bags and started in the direction of the hospital wing. The blond kept out of sight of any wayward students not wanting to incur the wrath of the raven in his arms if rumors started spreading.

Opening the door to the hospital wing was the hardest part because he tried not to jostle Potter too much. Eventually he was able to get inside. Stepping in Draco looked around for anybody who could be inside. Eerily he found the infirmary to be empty of students and its matron. Laying the raven down on the bed the teen normally occupied Draco went to go find Madam Pomefrey.

The blond hadn’t taken two steps when a hand shot out and held on to his tightly. Looking back Draco found Potter to be half awake with a look of terror on his face. The teen was pulling at his hand trying to bring him closer to him, like he was scared to be left alone.

Sighing at his own weakness he knew he was going to regret this when the raven fully woke up. Gently so as not to startle the other into full wakefulness and keeping their hands together, Draco sat Potter up and slid on to the bed behind him before lowering the boy to rest against his chest.

Once Draco had settled into a comfortable position Potter let go of his hand. The blond found this strangely disappointing. The Slytherin watched as the raven turned on his side so he was between the blond’s legs and wrapped his arms around Draco’s waist his expression slowly becoming calm. Even though his expression had calmed Draco could still feel the teen was trembling. Not even conscious of his movements Draco began to rub gentle circles in the raven’s back and watched as the other slowly stopped trembling. Even after the boy had stopped Draco continued his ministrations.

It was about half an hour later that Madam Pomefrey made an appearance. “Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter, what are you two doing here?” She wondered if the two had gotten into another fight and somehow gotten stuck to the other. Maybe it was a potions accident?

Draco sighed before he raised his head to look at the medi-witch. “He’s unconscious, passed out on his way to Gryffindor tower.”

“And what were you doing by Gryffindor tower, Mr. Malfoy?” Madam Pomefrey asked looking at the Slytherin with a scolding look.

“I was late for class and was taking a shortcut that runs by Gryffindor tower.” The blond defended.

Not entirely sure if the Slytherin was telling the truth Madam Pomefrey pushed these thoughts aside and cast a diagnostic spell on the unconscious teen. Looking over the findings of her spell Madam Pomefrey frowned and began to move about collecting potions that the boy would need to take.

Draco watched the busy medi-witch as she shuffled about collecting different potions. Not even aware he had done it Draco had begun to run his fingers through Potter’s hair liking the feel of the soft mess of black locks.

Eventually Madam Pomefrey came back to them and placed four potions on the nightstand. “These are the potions Mr. Potter will need to be taking,” the medi-witch explained to a slightly confused Draco, “the purple vial holds a Dreamless Sleep because it seems Mr. Potter has been suffering from a form of chronic nightmares and to escape them he has taken to getting as little sleep as possible. The blue bottle holds Calming Draught because apparently since the nightmares started he has been prone to panic attacks. The green bottle is a Nutrient Potion, his appetite has been lacking since the panic attacks began. Lastly is a Fever Reducer which he’ll need to take with the Nutrient Potion to get his immune system back up.”

The blond gave the medi-witch a look wondering where she was going with this. “That’s all well and good Madam Pomefrey but don’t you think you should be telling Potter that or an assigned caretaker?”

Madam Pomefrey smirked at the Slytherin. He had a bad feeling. “That is where you come in Mr. Malfoy.”

“What?” Draco growled barely stopping himself from shouting.

“Quite frankly Mr. Malfoy, this is the calmest I’ve seen Mr. Potter since the war ended. If you’re the key to this boy getting healthy again I will make you take care of him or you will have detention with Hagrid the rest of the year.” The medi-witch glared at the boy daring him to defy her.

Draco looked like he was going to begin shouting when the boy in his arms shifted. Pausing for a moment the blond eventually took a deep breath before finally speaking. “Fine,” he growled out, “what do I need to do?”

Madam Pomefrey smiled at having manipulated the Slytherin Ice Prince. “Dobby.” The elf appeared ready to serve. “Move Mr. Potter’s belongings to Mr. Malfoy’s private rooms and inform the Headmaster to the changes.”

“Yes, Madam Pomefrey.” Dobby replied eyeing the Slytherin distrustfully before disappearing.

“Now, you can stay here but I would recommend that you and Mr. Potter retire to your rooms so you will have a more private and calm setting when you tell him what has happened.” As the blond stood she handed him the potions in a bag.

Not wanting to stay longer than necessary Draco scooped the raven up into his arms and grabbed their bags before leaving. The blond had gotten down to the great hall without running in to anyone. Just as he was about to go down to the dungeons Draco hear someone shouting at him. “Malfoy!” Holding in a groan Draco turned and watched as Granger and the Weasel approached him. “What do you want Weasel? Unlike you I have places to be and you’re wasting my time.”

Weasley steamed and looked like he was about to whip out his wand when Granger intervened. “What are you doing with Harry?” She asked glancing between Harry and Malfoy.

Beginning to walk down into the dungeons Draco spoke over his shoulder. “Ask Madam Pomefrey, I have things to do.” Like get all the Slytherins to leave Potter alone while he was still in his care. Ignoring the Weasel shouting after him Draco made his way in to the deepest part of the dungeons where not even most Slytherins would go.

_TBC…_

**Rough draft: 7/27/2013**

**Final edit: 11/10/2013**


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